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Differences in resting energy expenditure in prepubertal black children and white children
A S Kaplan1, B S Zemel, V A Stallings
1Division of Gastroenterology and Nutrition, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, USA.
Insights
Resting energy expenditure (REE) is lower in black children compared to white children. Both fat-free mass and ethnic background significantly predict REE in prepubertal children.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Nutrition
- Human Physiology
- Anthropology
Background:
- Resting energy expenditure (REE) is crucial for understanding energy balance in children.
- Prepubertal children exhibit diverse body compositions and metabolic rates.
- Ethnic variations in energy metabolism are not fully understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate ethnic differences in resting energy expenditure (REE) between black and white prepubertal children.
- To identify factors influencing REE in this demographic.
Main Methods:
- Recruited 34 prepubertal children (ages 5-12 years), with 56% black and 44% white.
- Measured body composition (fat-free mass, fat mass, body fat percentage) using total body electrical conductivity.
- Assessed fasting REE via open-circuit indirect calorimetry.
Main Results:
- Despite similar weight, height, and body composition, black children had significantly lower REE (1312 kcal/day) than white children (1524 kcal/day).
- After adjusting for covariates, fat-free mass and ethnic group were the sole significant predictors of REE.
- The model explained 70% of the variance in REE (R2 = 0.70).
Conclusions:
- White prepubertal children exhibit higher resting energy expenditure than black prepubertal children, even after accounting for body size and composition.
- Both fat-free mass and ethnic background are significant determinants of REE in prepubertal children.
- These findings highlight the importance of considering ethnicity in pediatric energy metabolism research.
Objective:
To evaluate differences in resting energy expenditure (REE) of black and white prepubertal children.
Subjects:
The study subjects were 34 prepubertal children 5 to 12 years of age and weighing 90% to 206% ideal body weight. Girls represented 59% of the study subjects; 44% were white children and 56% were black children.
Methods:
Fat-free mass (FFM), fat mass, and the percentage of body fat were determined by total body electrical conductivity. Fasting REE was measured by open-circuit indirect calorimetry.
Results:
Although weight, height, FFM, fat mass, percentage of body fat, and age were similar between the ethnic groups (black vs. white children), the black subjects had a significantly lower REE (1312 +/- 38 kcal/day) compared with the white subjects (1524 +/- 43 kcal/day) after adjusting for age, gender, weight, FFM, and fat mass. Fat-free mass and ethnic group were the only significant predictors of REE (R2 = 0.70).
Conclusion:
Resting energy expenditure is significantly higher in this sample of white children compared with the black children after adjusting for body size and composition. Both FFM and ethnic background were significant determinants of REE in prepubertal children.